# Western moose

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Subspecies of deer

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Western moose Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Placentalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae Subfamily: Capreolinae Genus: Alces Species: A. alces Subspecies: A. a. andersoni Trinomial name Alces alces andersoni Peterson, 1952[1]

The **Western moose**[2] (***Alces alces andersoni***) is a subspecies of [moose](/source/Moose) that inhabits [boreal forests](/source/Boreal_forest) and mixed [deciduous forests](/source/Deciduous_forest) in the [Canadian Arctic](/source/Northern_Canada), [western Canadian provinces](/source/Western_Canada) and a few western sections of the northern [United States](/source/United_States). It is the second largest North American subspecies of moose, second to the [Alaskan moose](/source/Alaska_moose). This subspecies is prey to [timber wolves](/source/Wolf) and [bears](/source/Bear). Male Western moose are aggressive during mating season (autumn and winter) and may injure or kill with provocation.

## Habitat, range, and distribution

The Western moose inhabits [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia), eastern [Yukon](/source/Yukon), [Northwest Territories](/source/Northwest_Territories), southwestern [Nunavut](/source/Nunavut), [Alberta](/source/Alberta), [Saskatchewan](/source/Saskatchewan), [Manitoba](/source/Manitoba), western [Ontario](/source/Ontario), [Newfoundland and Labrador](/source/Newfoundland_and_Labrador), the upper peninsula of [Michigan](/source/Michigan), northern [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin), northern [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota), and northeastern [North Dakota](/source/North_Dakota). Additionally, [Parks Canada](/source/Parks_Canada) transferred eighteen western moose from [Elk Island National Park](/source/Elk_Island_National_Park) to [Nova Scotia](/source/Nova_Scotia)'s [Cape Breton Highlands National Park](/source/Cape_Breton_Highlands_National_Park) between 1947 and 1949 for population increase. [Cape Breton Island](/source/Cape_Breton_Island)'s moose are descendants of these western moose.

[3][4] They were also introduced to [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand)'s [Fiordland National Park](/source/Fiordland_National_Park).[5]

## Diet

Western moose eat terrestrial vegetation such as [forbs](/source/Forbs) and [shoots](/source/Shoot_(botany)) from [willow](/source/Willow) and [birch](/source/Birch) trees and aquatic plants, including [lilies](/source/Lily) and pondweed. Western moose can consume up to 9,770 calories a day, about 32 kilograms (71 lb). The Western moose, like other species, lacks upper front teeth but instead has eight sharp [incisors](/source/Incisors) on its lower jaw. They also have a tough tongue, gums, and lips to help chew woody vegetation.

## Size and weight

Male Western moose stand anywhere from 1.9 to 2.0 metres (6.2 to 6.6 ft) at the shoulder. Their [antlers](/source/Antlers) span 1.5 to 1.7 metres (4.9 to 5.6 ft) and they weigh anywhere from 380–720 kilograms (840–1,590 lb). Female Western moose stand at 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) on average, and weigh anywhere from 270 to 360 kilograms (600 to 790 lb).

## Social structure and reproduction

Western moose cow and calf in [Bowron Lake Provincial Park](/source/Bowron_Lake_Provincial_Park)

Western moose do not form social bonds and only come into contact to mate or to battle for a mate. Elevated [testosterone](/source/Testosterone) levels during mating season mean that bulls may attack anything during mating season, including humans, [coyotes](/source/Coyotes), [wild boars](/source/Wild_boar), [deer](/source/Deer), [red foxes](/source/Red_fox), [cougars](/source/Cougar), [wolf](/source/Wolf) packs, [Grizzly bears](/source/Grizzly_bear), [elk](/source/Elk), and [black bears](/source/American_black_bear). They use a subtle [mating call](/source/Mating_call) to attract females or to announce to other males that they are in the area. In the event of a fight over mating rights, bull moose risk locking their antlers, which almost always results in them both dying from starvation. Western moose females will have, on average, one or two [calves](/source/Calf_(animal)) at once. A female may attack if she feels that her calves are threatened, although, at around 10–11 months yearling Western moose are chased off by their mothers to fend for themselves.

## Hunting

With a population of about 950,000 individuals, they are hunted every autumn and winter in both Canada and the United States. Annual quotas vary depending on local population estimates and hunter success from the previous season.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Albert W. Franzmann (1981-05-08). ["Alces alces"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131231163526/http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-154-01-0001.pdf) (PDF). *Mammalian Species* (154): 1–7. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/3503876](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F3503876). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3503876](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3503876). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [253963283](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:253963283). Archived from [the original](http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-154-01-0001.pdf) (PDF) on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2012-02-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Canadian Wildlife Service](/source/Canadian_Wildlife_Service) (1950). ["Mammals"](https://books.google.com/books?id=PkclAQAAMAAJ). *Wildlife Management Bulletin*. **1** (1–11): 7.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Pulsifer, M. D.; Nette, T. L. (1995). ["History, status and present distribution of moose in Nova Scotia"](https://www.alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/download/907/983). *Alces: A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose*. **31**: 209–219.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Mainland Moose Frequently Asked Questions | novascotia.ca"](https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/sustainable/mmoosefaq.asp#mm2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["ExploreNorth"](http://www.explorenorth.com/library/nature/moose-nz.html).

Taxon identifiers Alces alces andersoni Wikidata: Q7988509 Wikispecies: Alces alces andersoni GBIF: 8741919 iNaturalist: 852462 ITIS: 898971 NatureServe: 2.792132 NZOR: 70445e88-a5fa-43a0-ae56-37486c7be757

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Western moose](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_moose) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_moose?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.